Stolen Handgun Found After Traffic Stop: Evanston Police

EVANSTON, IL — Police said they found a stolen gun during a search of a car that failed to stop at two stop signs in Evanston Wednesday night. The search also turned up some fireworks and a small amount of marijuana, according to Evanston police.

Police saw the vehicle fail stop stop at stop signs on the corner of Lemar Avenue and Lyons Street and at the corner of Leland Avenue and Emerson Street, according to Evanston Police Cmdr. Joseph Dugan.

After pulling over the car in the 1800 block of Emerson Street, police said they smelled the odor of cannabis from inside the vehicle, which prompted a search of both occupants and the car. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Evanston — or your community. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

They searched the driver, identified as Dion L. King, 37, of the 1800 block of Lemar Avenue in Evanston. In his waistband, police found a loaded 9mm Ruger handgun, according to police. Police checked the serial number and found the gun had been stolen out of the state of Georgia.

King was arrested and charged with one count of felony unlawful use of a handgun by a convicted felon, two counts of misdemeanor possession of a firearm without a valid firearm owner's identification card, one count of misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon, one citation for fireworks possession, and two traffic citations for disobeying a stop sign.

Police said they also searched the passenger, a 38-year-old Evanston man, and found him to have just over 1 gram of cannabis. He was issued a citation and released.

According to Dugan, a further search of the vehicle turned up a second 9 mm magazine with 21 addition 9 mm bullets inside it and 13 "jumping jack" fireworks.

Top photo: The 9 mm Ruger handgun Evanston police said they recovered after a search of a vehicle | Evanston PD